The Great Christmas Eve Snow Storm (2004) What year did it snow on Christmas Day in Houston? The mother of all snows came on Valentine's Day in 1895. beccas90 from New York on October 31, 2011: We just had snow over the weekend in New England with parts of Connecticut getting 20" - but we got a more modest 6". The closest the Houston metropolitan house came to a white Christmas took place on December 22, 1989 when 1.7 inches of snow fell at Intercontinental . The Great Christmas Eve Snow Storm (2004) -Introduction-. Peggy Woods (author) from Houston, Texas on December 08, 2009: Nice to meet another fellow Texan here. In 1929, 2.5 inches of snow fell on Dec. 21-22. Thanks for the comment. Forecasting precipitation types is extremely challenging, as Eric noted this morning, so I expect more curve balls to be thrown our way between now and tomorrow evening, but at least this afternoon, it looks like sleet may be the more common precipitation type we see tomorrow night. Snow on beaches is certainly not the norm! The US average is 28 inches of snow per year. That sounds familiar. HOUSTON - Many people are beginning to wonder if there is a correlation between hurricanes and snowfall in Houston. We saw a teenager walking outside our home doing the very same thing. Nothing quite like snow covered grounds, trees, houses and "Jack Frost" decorating the windows with patterns of infinite design. It seems colder air may push in here a little faster on Sunday night and Monday morning. We did not have to live with the snow for very long! On average, there are about 139 tornadoes in a year. Will be thinking of you up there in Canada. Feb. 12, 2018. Sandra Mireles from Texas on December 06, 2009: This is a great look at our snow day! It was a wow moment because we rarely see snow at all down here. Marfreless. over the course of the month. Now i hope there wont be anymore complaining on this board when we get highs in the 80s and low in the 70s and its cloudy and humid. Coldest temperature: 6 on 2/12 and 2/13 :-(. Although, 1973 saw four days of snow in Houston between January and February. The earliest snowfall Houston's ever seen was in 2009 when we got an entire inch of snow on Dec. 4. I was remembering playing with my two younger brothers. Some areas of the city saw 12 inches of snow in 2004. For municipal workers, overtime. 18. Fer cryin out loud dude, the name on the building was right across the street! We know how to handle it up here. The last recorded snowfall in Houston was on February 15, 2021. Greatest Snowfall in One Season: 4.4 inches - The greatest cumulative snow fall for Houston, Texas. The latest snowfall recorded of the season occurred on March 22, 1968. Yes it truly has been a warm winter thus far and I doubt that we will have anymore freezing or near freezing temperatures. Valentine's Day in 1895 Houston was hit with 20 inches of snow on Feb. 14 and 15. December 4, 2009, will go down in the record books as the earliest snowfall in Houston, Texas history. Anyone reading this must know the excitement that this real and heavy snowfall generated today for children and adults alike. In northern Texas, however, the National Weather Service has not recorded any snow or ice events since February 2011. Powder in the 1940s. It snowed seven times in the 1980s, with the most snow coming on Dec. 22, 1989, with 1.7 inches. January 18, 1930 is Houstons coldest morning on record, with a low of 5 degrees above zero. before we see more snow. A rare and record breaking snowfall occurred Christmas Eve into early Christmas morning across south and southeast Texas. Matt, Thus, our rare snow in Houston, Texas provided a fun day making for good memories. I realize that this might not be impressive to those of you who live up north and can build your gigantic snowmen each year dressed with colorful woolen neck scarves and other adornments, but hey, whoever made this snowman probably does not even own a woolen neck scarf. Yes, you would definitely have been used to seeing snow up there. December 1983 is Houstons second coldest December behind 1989. Best to take the advice and enjoy the weather anomaly and this rare occasion. Rochelle Frank from California Gold Country on December 06, 2009: We are bracing for a pretty big snowstorm here tonight and tomorrow-- predicted to be between 8- 12 inches. The current minimum wage in Texas is $7.25 per hour, which is the minimum rate a non-exempt employee, The 15 poorest ZIP codes in Houston EsriNo. Snow down there is amazing as it is here! It looks like you guys enjoyed your snow and had a nice, cozy day indoors! See the photos below taken at our home. The effect when gazing out of our windows is the same. The first recorded date on which the city received its first 2 inches of snowfall. It has been a while since we have had snow flurries in Houston. Only twice has Houston seen 11 straight days of low temperatures at or below freezing: January 1983 and January 1940. Houston is a multicultural city with a thriving international community supported by the third largest concentration of consular, bars that are cool for finding rich men in Houston, Texas Brenners on the Bayou. The snowflakes were so large and coming down so fast that as we were sitting in our living room and later the kitchen eating area, we could hardly keep our eyes from the entertaining show outside our windows. You can learn much by reading and noticing how others write as well. Well weren't you the cutest thing? This December has been at or near the warmest December on record for most of South Texas. On December 22 1929, 2.5 inches of snow fell in Houston. . Hope you had as much fun as we did in enjoying that "white stuff" falling from the sky. Our parents would also join in playing with us occasionally. But it looks like more snow than we got in Georgia this year (s0 far). It becomes a big event if and when it happens. How common is snow in Houston? Another reinforcing cold front seems to have swept across . All but one were mere dustings. It has snowed just 35 times in Houston since 1895, according to KTRK, with the last measurable snow . Thanks for your comemnt. Back in 1895, the Bayou City was turned into a winter wonderland with 20 inches dropping on the Hallmark holiday. So lets look back at some other memorable Houston cold snaps through the years. So here is your next trivia challenge when was the last time the entire continental US was at or below freezing? It is an oddity when we get to see any where we live in Houston. One person was injured and taken to a hospital in Victoria, Texas, authorities said. This would rank as Houstons 12th coldest 5 day stretch on record. I was in a department store shopping, people were taking pictures of the falling snow with cellphones. These snow records are reviewed yearly and updated as new data is recorded. I remember February 2011 vividly because I moved to Houston for a time that month and arrived at the end of January. As was my sister who was visiting for the holiday. Nights at or below freezing: 11 in a row. I have a copy of that December 23, 1989 Chronicle front page because Im in the photo. Average household, Typically, a band sets an amount of time to be on the road, and booking agents try to match cities and venues to those dates,, Cities near Houston within 1 hour 59 minutes: Galveston 31 minutes: Baytown (Texas) 32 minutes: Katy 50 minutes: Sealy 28 minutes: Spring What cities are. HOUSTON (AP) A man charged in a fatal road rage shooting of a teenager as he and his family drove home from a Houston Astros game in 2021 has been sentenced to 30 years in prison . We got our first snow last year on Christmas Day-- which was also early, but perfect because the 'flatlander' kids and grandkids were visiting for the holidays. Snowman in Houston, Texas! After the 1960 snow, Houston wouldn't see significant amounts of snow again until late 1972 and early 1973. BB. The snow might not be so bad if it just melted the next day!!! Greatest Amount of Snow in Two Days, 4.4in. Brittney Griner surprises fans at MLK Day fest, 'Absolutely': Why Sean Payton is open to taking Texans HC job, What C.J. Here in the DC metro area the first snowfall of the season tends to cause a mess. Impressive, but probably not historic. Hasnt the location of the reading site for official records changed a number of times over the years? Craig Hlavaty is a reporter for Chron.com and HoustonChronicle.com. From the February 1960 Houston Post: Hermann Park's Sam Houston statue in daytime snow: Joe Jimenez, 4906 Southwind St., packs snowball. The one-day record snowfall for Houston, Texas was recorded on February 12th, 1960 as seen in the chart below. The date above was another unusual but fun day! Thanks for your comment. agusfanani from Indonesia on December 06, 2009: Wow, it's an amazing thing. BELIEVE ITSNOW IN HOUSTON, TEXAS and quite an accumulation considering the place! Great memories for a great hub, Peggy. The first ones are always excitingbut like you saidit gets old after a while dealing with the effects of the snow and ice. talfonso from Tampa Bay, FL on December 07, 2009: Wow - excellent Hub! 2020/2021. What year was it 80 degrees on Christmas? Now let's take a look at a similar sounding for Hobby Airport, again with the freezing line highlighted. According to an MSNBC source, Houston has only experienced snow falling thirty-three times since 1895, so one must realize with a statistic like that just how rare an occasion it is to see snow. St. Mary's Cathedral covered in snow, February 1940. As hard as it is to believe, the Weather Research Center shows Houston has quite the snow-filled history, dating back all the way to Valentine's Day in 1895 where Space City saw 20 inches of snow. Like Tom, I missed the 2004 snowfall, which was the best, because I was out of town. 1 wealthiest ZIP code is 77005, which encompasses West University, What is the minimum wage in Texas? Each of us got our fair share of hits with the snowballs. Kristen Howe from Northeast Ohio on December 09, 2017: Peggy, that's a real long time ago that snow had fallen in Houston. Source: Snow Plow News Winter Weather News / Snow Research. But at least if we are going to have a cold snap we are shooting the moon with this one and going all the way. :-) Thanks for your comment and personal experience with this snow in Houston. This morning, February 15, 2021, we woke up to a white landscape. Nights at or below freezing: 8, coming in two 4-day waves. Thanks for your compilation. I agree with you that the snow is spectacularly beautiful when new and unsullied by footprints, car tracks, etc. Searching for Shelley Duvall's Houston Snow Day . The Texas grid is designed for freezing temps in Dallas which moderate as temps in Houston freeze. I am so disappointed about that but I have some memories of the snow there and how it looked. Thanks for the comment. By Allyson Waller. Peggy Woods (author) from Houston, Texas on December 10, 2017: Nice to know that you enjoyed these pictures of the rare snowfalls in Houston and the old pictures of my brothers and me as children. :-). We wonder if there was a baby boom nine . Thanks for memories. For some reason, I remember a winter streak in December, I thought, in the late 1970s where the actual temperature was at or below freezing for several days, maybe a week? And my roof is still white on the day after! Hope you get to have more happy snow memories someday! (For the record, the all-time low was 18, in 1983. :-). Houston, Texas is a bit too warm for snow to last very long. Only the occasional citrus killing frost. :-) Thanks for your comment. Thank you. Last night on Valentine's Day, sleet mixed with snow started falling. Here's my front fl. Thanks for reading and leaving your interesting comment. We hit a snow storm in Dallas scary and slippery. Of course, Houstonians now are so used to snow after these past . My Dad was a great skater! Thats the greatest snowfall in the history of Houston. What was amazing about the weather in Houston, Texas, during the last several weeks is that the temperatures have gone from the ridiculous to the sub-zero (feels like) - 100+ degrees for several months to the high 40's seemingly overnight. I was like, what is this white cold stuff falling from the sky?! Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together. Texas is known for being hot, really hot. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Age and gravity has taken its expected toll. It's quiet unfortunate as i have never witnessed one. 16 Is Austin Texas in the desert? It is so beautiful when white and pristine. I know what you mean about southern people not knowing how to handle snow on their roadwaysbut then why should they be practiced? Those patterns were so pretty! Enjoy the show! A few times (very few) as a refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic I had to work in way sub zero walk-ins. The two-day cumulative snow record covered the period from February 13th, 1960 toFebruary 14th, 1960. aria-label=Most snow in two days role=img> The snow didn't just fall in Houston. Snow has fallen the week before and the week after the holiday but never on the 25th. Coldest temperature: 14 on 2/2 Example video title will go here for this video. Greatest Amount of Snow in Three Days. Thanks for your comment. 15 Does it rain a lot in Austin? Much of Texas is under a winter storm warning. Well have more for you in the morning. How Many Different Cultures Are In Houston? Sharing this of course. Get the KHOU 11 for your phone or tablet. How much snow did you actually get where you live? I can actually "hear" the snowflakes falling (only when it is absolute silent. :)). Again, in January 1949 2.6 inches of snow fell on Houston. The February 13, 1899 edition of the Houston Post described the cold snap thusly: When a younger friend approaches him now and suggests to him, with a degree of profanity based on the length of time he has been exposed to the chilling, biting, nipping North wind, that its pretty cold, the oldest inhabitant cannot yawn, draw closer to the welcome fire, and say, with an air of conscious superiority, Yes, but away back in 73 there was a norther that. He has no recourse but to moodily assent, put a few more coals in the blazing grate and reflect on what has been, what might have been and what may be. My first white Christmas was on Dec. 25, 2004, when I was visiting my mom in South Central Texas (her house is about the halfway point between San Antonio and Corpus). In pantheon of modern Houston cold snaps, December 1989 is front and center. And that was the warm up. Peggy Woods (author) from Houston, Texas on August 06, 2010: Snow in Houston also brings out excitement and joy for many of us older than those little ones. Snow plow removal companies, Municipalities, Universities and others that fight snow can plan for the worst with this data. I remember the 1983 winter as we drove to Amarillo for Christmas and hit Ice at Temple and had to crawl the rest of the way up US 289. The previous mark was 80 degrees, set in 2016. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. The crash happened at about 11 a.m. between Houston and San Antonio. Most other years, if it snows at all, it is generally a fraction of an inch, so this snowfall, which we enjoyed today, was a fantastic occurrence enjoyed by almost everyone. 3.6 mi. Behind The List: Houstons wealthiest ZIP codes show more homeowners than renters. Peggy Woods (author) from Houston, Texas on July 13, 2016: Yespeople really do not know how to handle a bit of snow down here compared to those who are used to driving in it routinely. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 47F to 95F and is rarely below 35F or above 100F. James A Watkins from Chicago on December 13, 2009: I loved your Hub, Peg. What delighted me the most was seeing a neighbor pulling her two young children on a homemade sled. Because if it were Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophilia we would have to love the word! LOL Cool hub Peggy. Feb. 15, 2021. Coldest temperature: 11 on 12/25 December 4, 2009, will go down in the record books as the earliest snowfall in Houston, Texas history. We'd like to see what birthrates for Houston were like nine months later. Peggy Woods (author) from Houston, Texas on October 31, 2011: I know according to the news that the New England states have been blasted with snow and so early in the season. You can, 77005. In 2004 Galveston experienced its first-ever white Christmas. If Houston's Hobby Airport reaches freezing tonight, it'll be the . 1840s. I had fun watching a squirrel digging for nuts. It was almost eight years ago at the same time of the year when we saw snow! MA warning 31 F Snow; Houston, . In 2004 Galveston experienced its first-ever white Christmas. Nights at or below freezing: 12, including 11 in a row to close the month. Feb. 13, 1960. Wonderful momeriesthanks for the photos! Great hub and great day! There were more incidences of snow in the 1980s on average than any other decade recorded, but the 2000s also witnessed more frequent and record-breaking snows. It does seem that we go from HOT, HOT, HOT to COLD, COLD, COLD these days with little in between. Tomorrow is another day to get back into the groove. It accumulated a bit on rooftops and grassy areasenough to make it look white all over! This is a carousel. From the Feburary 13, 1960, Houston Post: Snow-covered lot produces a wintry scene. The 2004 Christmas Eve United States winter storm was a rare weather event that took place in Louisiana and Texas in the United States on December 24, 2004, before the storm moved northeast to affect the coastal sections of the Mid-Atlantic states and New England in the succeeding few days. LOL. What year did it snow on Christmas Day in Houston? = 2.2cm). That must be an adjustment for you since you have obviously experienced other climactic conditions. Businesses in Houston, Texas rely on accurate snowfall record-keeping to plan for the most extreme conditions during the winter. Yes, I did. We get a little, or sometimes a couple of feet, but it does not last very long. Thanks for your comment. Bet those pictures of your mother's roses with snow on them are pretty. With the deep freeze on the way to Houston, Eric thought it would be a good idea to take a look at some previous significant cold in Houston, so we can place this outbreak in historical context. Temperature (F) 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 . Dave McClure from Worcester, UK on December 07, 2009: Snow is a great reminder to slow down and appreciate. Thats what they are saying for Texas, YAY! 2021/2022. Definitely deserves a mention. Our temperatures were in the low 20s. It would be fun to see snow at least once a year but unfortunately living in Houston we seldom get away in the winter heading north. Dallas was plagued with cold and wintry weather as well, marring the 2011 Super Bowl. Well, that's for many states, but definitely not in Texas. A fun day for most of us living here. From the Feb. 13, 1960, Houston Chronicle: Mrs. John D. Tamborello and daughter, Janice Lynn, 6, put finishing touches on a huge snowman they built in front of their home at 4231 Ruskin. In February 2011, there was 28 cm (11 inches) of snow. Peggy Woods (author) from Houston, Texas on February 21, 2015: This is recalling a rare snow event in Houston that took place in 2009. For the first time ever, some areas experienced their first white Christmas. I sense that Houston is in for a mighty cold winter this time around Oyewole Folarin from Lagos on October 29, 2011: It's fun seeing snow outside. (living in Houston thats a good thing), Holy Cow! After a 34-year absence, 2.5 inches of snow fell in Houston on December 21 - 22. Snowball fights were only fun when you came out barely "hit" which in my case was never. However, I have been to Thredbo in Australia, wheeeeeee, I fell out of a toboggan, and hit my head on a rock. United States snow records can be found by reviewing the snowfall records of over 200 cities. This was surely a banner year for snowplow contractors! Spring comes with a gradual warm up from winter, lasting from February through May. We had snow last night. Happy to have shared a few childhood memories with you. Why is the fear of long words called Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia? I am putting up your link right now! Loved it!!! It is very rare down here. We managed to reach the upper 30s on both days, which isnt overly impressive. Thanks for the visit and share. Fish froze in their aquariums because the power was out for so long. If you would like to take a look at it let me know how to send it. :-) Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment. So do you think this will start happening more often in the next coming winters? Ice storms & snowstorms deserve their own post though, for sure. What Are The Low Income Areas In Houston Texas. HOUSTON (CW39) CW39 Meteorologist Carrigan Chauvin is out LIVE in Winter Storm 2021 with a look at snow in downtown Houston. Between two days in 1895, Feb. 14 and 15, Houston would see about 20 inches of snow fall. 4.4 inches The greatest cumulative snow fall for Houston, Texas. Forecast sounding for Hobby Airport at 7 a.m. CT. (NOAA) In this graphic we can see that . Good lead-in to your memories of snowball fights and such. Mighty close. It is 0 here right now! 1830s. Ha! . Apparently we had just the right conditions although rare to have such a snow event take place. Answer (1 of 21): I've lived in Houston since 1979. Schools and industries that paid an interruptible rate which is lower, for natural gas and electricity were turned off to provide service to residents, grocery stores, hospitals, etc. We were focused mostly on Houstons most extreme temps for this post. And all this makes him sad, very, very sad.. Since official records have been kept at Bush Airport (1969), this would rank as the second coldest, with only December 23, 1989 being colder (7 degrees). C E Clark from North Texas on September 16, 2015: Another article I'm seeing for the first time! Coolmon2009 from Texas, USA on October 29, 2011: The last time I saw snow in Houston area was a few years back in the Woodlands area. It was fun, wasn't it! Clothing was different back then, and to stay warm, we bundled up with layers of socks, pants, sweaters, jackets, scarves, hats, mittens, and boots. Find out! December of 1989 was Houstons coldest December on record back to the 1880s. There was also an ice storm of sorts on the 4th. Nights forecast at or below freezing: Five. It seems to be over now. Im curious about what you think. The roads will ice up tonight from the moisture, and accidents were already occurring and reported on the 6 PM newscasts tonight. 14 Poorest. We registered 5 straight days with lows in the 20s from February 1-5 and 4 days from February 9-12. Gustave Kilthau from USA on October 29, 2011: I am always awed by your fascinating articles and the photos that you present along with the texts. Then people remember what they learned from previous years. (Were the winds not 100 km/h rather than 100 mph? I just saw KHOU 11 forecast a low of 4 at IAH. Peggy Woods (author) from Houston, Texas on December 13, 2009: Yes, I would agree that the snow in Houston brought back many happy memories of things like sledding and tobogganing such as you remember in Michigan and I remember growing up in my early childhood in Wisconsin. Still some pretty good winds! Actually your creative wrniitg abilities has inspired me to get my own blog going now. The most significantly wintry years were 1886, when Galveston Bay froze, and 1895, when the island received a whopping snowfall of 15.4 inches. Coldest temperature: 10 on 2/8 . Happy you enjoyed reading this and thanks for leaving a comment. But now, it is snowing over there. Thanks for the comment. Back in 1983 was the only year that the high didnt hit 20 degrees, topping out at 15.Christmas Day Climate Statistics. Snow accumulations were in the one to four-inch range depending upon where one lives in and around Houston. After our company departed to go back home, we continued to watch the snowfall, although it was starting to diminish in intensity. This was a different storm from the historic event that struck the Midwest and southern Canada around . In that case you would love our northern states in the wintertime! El Pasos coldest February day on record was February 3, 2011. We once had our roof replaced because of so much hail damage in Houston. Weve gotten a few comments from folks questioning how this upcoming cold could be classified as coldest in years when we just had cold like this in January 2018. . Peggy Woods (author) from Houston, Texas on December 06, 2009: Yes, the snow was a surprise event all right. February 13, 1960. But I enjoyed your hub. No one is talking about it for some reason, but it clogged up the city. Our AC units are really humming that time of year! He could ice skate backward as effortlessly as forward, which always impressed me. Not a whole lot has changed, though I think three things stand out. Fall season is officially inaugurated next Wednesday. It is usually more likely to arrive in January and February. Things are better now in Texas energy market. Her visit ended up being longer than anticipated because her flights kept getting cancelled. Kids, in any generation, never seem to get sick of making snowmen. Schools were closed, and businesses let many of their workers go home early. 1986 Twin Cities 2:32:31 1 1987 Twin Cities 2:35:42 2 1988 Pittsburgh 2:32:15 5 1988 Chicago 2:32:03 5 1989 Houston 2:32:32 2 1989 Boston 2:29 . 2019/2020. Meanwhile, temperatures soared to 76 in Nashville, Tennessee, and to 73 in Oklahoma City and set records that same day in 2016, Sosnowski said. Snow falls on traffic at Main St. and Texas Ave. in downtown Houston. Thomas James from London on February 20, 2015: Peggy Woods (author) from Houston, Texas on January 24, 2014: Just start writing and hone your skills. So let's look back at some other memorable Houston cold snaps through the years. I seem to remember that people once put chains on their tires to get through snow and ice. RELATED:The bars and restaurants in Houston with the oldest TABC liquor licenses. The only other day as cold as February 7, 1895 occurred on February 13, 1899 (known as the Great Arctic Outbreak ), when Houston hit just 20 degrees. Im just amazed at how much your part of Texas looks like a typical British suburb, except we get a bit more of the white stuff. talkingcellular from Weston, Florida on December 20, 2009: Nice family photos. 19 Do Austin Texas have a beach? It came. http://thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=308841&sc Lucky Houston, Texasyesbut just for about 24 hours. As Space City Weathers unofficial history guru, Ive taken on the challenge!